December-16-08

Pole Zero Goes Live on IFS Applications in Seven Months

IFS, the global enterprise application company, has announced that Pole/Zero has gone live on IFS Applications enterprise resource planning (ERP) software in only seven months.

Pole/Zero’s West Chester, Ohio location is now live and running IFS Applications Financials, Human Resources, Sales & Support, Engineering, Manufacturing and Distribution components. It also has future plans of implementing IFS’ CRM module in 2009.

Pole/Zero designs and manufactures radio frequency products that are used in military applications. It began the search for an ERP system because its legacy system could not handle the company’s plans for rapid growth, and the system required many additional custom software packages to fulfill all its business needs. In order to streamline its systems and increase productivity Pole/Zero turned to IFS Applications.

“We were looking for an ERP system that could provide maximum functionality in an aggressive implementation cycle,” Pole/Zero IT Manager Jeff Miller said. “We believed that by choosing IFS Applications, we could achieve much more with a minimal amount of customization. We are pleased that our implementation was completed within our required timeline.”

Miller said that Pole/Zero will immediately realize several important benefits now that they are live on IFS Applications.

“The use of IFS Applications will allow us to disseminate information faster, reduce our paper use, and make our approval processes more efficient,” Miller said. “This integrated system will reduce duplication of data entry and simplify maintenance of our now centralized data. Additionally, our new ability to attach supporting documentation to objects within IFS Applications conveniently puts essential documentation just a few clicks away.”

Dedicated teamwork and IFS Applications component-based structure make fast-track implementations like this one possible, according to IFS North American President Cindy Jaudon.

“One benefit to IFS Applications’ flexible ERP solution is its ability to achieve tight implementation timelines,” Jaudon said. “But when it comes to implementing even an agile solution, a successful implementation still isn’t possible without a cohesive team. Much of the credit goes to Pole/Zero’s management and core implementation team.”

Aerospace and defense is one of IFS’ targeted market segments. IFS Applications includes advanced standard functionality that meets the demanding requirements of defense manufacturers. IFS’ fully integrated project tracking and product data management (PDM) capabilities, when combined with other IFS Applications components, make it easier to operate while managing the design, manufacturing, and ongoing spare parts logistics and maintenance support of complex products throughout the product lifecycle.

IFS customers within the aerospace and defense industry include British, Norwegian, and U.S. defense organizations as well as the Eurofighter consortium. Commercial MRO shops and operators include Finnair, Bristow Helicopters, Aero-Dienst GmbH, Hawker Pacific, and Jet Turbine Services. In addition, IFS provides solutions to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, BAE SYSTEMS, Saab, and GE Transportation.

About IFS

IFS is a public company (OMX STO: IFS) founded in 1983 that develops, supplies, and implements IFS Applications™, a fully-integrated, component-based extended ERP suite built on SOA technology. The company has more than 2,000 customers in 54 countries and focuses on seven main industries: aerospace & defense, utilities & telecom, manufacturing, process industries, automotive, retail & wholesale distribution, and construction contracting & service management. IFS has 2,600 employees.